November 17, 2021
Muslim Advocates In the News (Fall 2021)
FEATURED STORIES
Victory for Muslim Cemetery
A Muslim cemetery was finally approved in Virginia. Now bigotry needs a proper burial, Washington Post — Oct. 14, 2021
“Construction is expected to begin soon on the new cemetery, under the auspices of the AMAA, which provides low-cost burials and funerals for Muslims in need across the region. Though it ended well, the story also showed that bigotry has yet to be given its proper burial.”
Additional Sources:
- Stafford County, Virginia, to Allow Islamic Cemetery in Response to Justice Department Lawsuit, U.S. Dept. of Justice, Oct. 14, 2021
- EDITORIAL: An expensive lesson on religious rights, The Free Lance-Star — Sept. 30, 2021
- Stafford County pays $500K to Muslim nonprofit after trying to block cemetery, Culpeper Star-Exponent —Oct. 7, 2021
Facebook’s Anti-Muslim Problem
US rights group call out Facebook on ‘anti-Muslim hate’ content, The New Arab — Oct. 12, 2021
“In April, the civil rights group Muslim Advocates filed a lawsuit against Facebook alleging that the company had falsely promised that when they learn of content that violates their own standards or policies, that content is removed.”
Additional Sources:
- U.S. court orders Facebook to release anti-Rohingya content records for genocide case, Reuters — Sept. 23, 2021
- Facebook criticised over ‘terror’ list that overwhelmingly features Muslim groups, Middle East Eye — Oct. 13, 2021
Dilawar Syed’s Nomination
GOP stalls pick who’d be government’s highest-ranking Muslim, CarolinaCoastOnline — Oct. 18, 2021
“The nomination of a Pakistani-born businessman who would be the highest-ranking Muslim in the U.S. government is in jeopardy because Senate Republicans have repeatedly blocked his confirmation.”
Additional Sources:
- Opinion: The cowardice of Senate Republicans blocking a qualified Muslim’s confirmation, Washington Post — Oct. 19, 2021
- Idaho small businesses shouldn’t be penalized because of political differences, Idaho Business Review — Oct. 13, 2021
- Video: All In with Chris Hayes, MSNBC — Sept. 27, 2021
MORE NEWS STORIES
Op-ed by Muslim Advocates Interim Co-Executive Directors Farah Brelvi and Asifa Quraishi-Landes
It’s Been Two-Hundred Years, Not Twenty: Targeted Repression in the US Started Long Before 9/11, Common Dreams, Sept. 24, 2021
“After 9/11, we were part of a group of Muslim lawyers who helped create a Muslim legal advocacy organization because we knew that things could get much worse for American Muslims.”
Muhammad Muhaymin Jr. Case
Civil rights group fights to unseal records about death of Muhammad Muhaymin Jr., Arizona Republic — Oct. 22, 2021
“National civil rights group Muslim Advocates is challenging the City of Phoenix fighting for court records regarding the death of Muhammad Muhaymin Jr. to be unsealed.”
Judge rules to unseal court records in 2017 police-custody death of Muhammad Muhaymin Jr., Arizona Republic — Nov. 3, 2021
In light of the most recent ruling, Muslim Advocates are “thrilled” the judge agreed to let the public access these important court records, according to a news release.
Facebook’s Role in Myanmar
US court requires Facebook to reveal information about its role in Myanmar violence, Jurist — Sept. 23, 2021
“Earlier this year, Muslim advocates sued Facebook alleging that Facebook violated the DC Consumer Protection Procedures Act when it committed, aided, and abetted both fraudulent and negligent misrepresentation of Muslims.”
Muslims Post-9/11
9/11 Brought About ‘Seismic Change’ for Muslim Americans, New York Times — Sept. 08, 2021
“Much work remains to dismantle the anti-Muslim industry, said Farah Brelvi, an interim executive director of Muslim Advocates, a civil rights legal organization formed in the wake of Sept. 11.”
Stopped By TSA?
What to Do if You Face Anti-Muslim Discrimination at Airport Security, Vice — Sept. 10, 2021
“If you decide to submit a complaint, you should include as many details as possible, such as the airline name, flight number, the approximate time, names of any witnesses, and the name of the TSA employee involved, said Sanaa Ansari, staff attorney of Muslim Advocates.”
Hate Crimes
D.C.-Based Rights Group Alleges Hate Crime In Last Week’s Alleged Assault In Fargo, WZFG — Sept. 25, 2021
“The nation’s largest Muslim civil rights organization has North Dakota on its priority list. Officials say Washington, D.C.-based Muslim Advocates is calling on state lawmakers to enact new hate-crime laws amid reports that an 11-year-old girl was assaulted this week in Fargo.”
Abortion Debate
Did Roe v. Wade help or hurt religious freedom?, Deseret News — Sept. 25, 2021
“Bans on pre-viability abortion trample the religious liberty of those who believe that early term abortions are morally acceptable, according to a brief from the National Council of Jewish Women, Catholics for Choice, Muslim Advocates and more than 40 other faith-based groups. These people of faith also deserve to see their values reflected in abortion laws, the groups said.”
Rep. Khanna cites Muslim Advocates on Democracy Now
Rep. Ro Khanna, Grandson of Activist Jailed with Gandhi Movement, Decries Facebook’s Role in India, Democracy Now — Sept. 25, 2021
“…and someone should look at the report that Muslim Advocates put out, “Complicit,” that talks about how some of the social media was captured in places like India, in places like Myanmar, to have incitement of violence against minorities, where people from the government actually captured the regulatory processes at these social media companies.”
Facebook’s Name Change … Meh
Facebook faces difficult road despite rebrand, The Hill — Oct. 30, 2021
“Eric Naing, the communications director of Muslim Advocates, argued that pivoting amid the existing problems all but guarantees they will only get worse with Meta.”
New Jersey State Senator’s Anti-Muslim Post
Edward Durr, GOP novice who unseated Sweeney, responds to backlash over Islamophobic tweet, WHYY/NPR — Nov. 4, 2021
“Anti-Muslim smears like the kind Mr. Durr posted on his Twitter account have been directly responsible for hate and violence against American Muslims,” said Muslim Advocates Communications Director Eric Naing in a statement.
GOP candidate who shocked Sweeney apologizes for offensive tweet, Cherry Hill Courier-Post — Nov. 4, 2021
“The hateful words and false conspiracy theories spread by Durr should have no place in society, let alone the New Jersey State Senate,” said Eric Naing, a spokesman for Muslim Advocates.
N.J. Republican Ed Durr apologizes for anti-Islamic tweet that surfaced after upset victory over Steve Sweeney, Philly Voice — Nov. 5, 2021
“Anti-Muslim smears like the kind Mr. Durr posted on his Twitter account have been directly responsible for hate and violence against American Muslims,” added Muslim Advocates communications director Eric Naing.
Trucker Who Beat NJ Senate President Apologizing for Xenophobic Posts, NBC Philadelphia — Nov. 5, 2021
Eric Naing, communications director for the Muslim Advocates civil rights organization, said Durr’s response to the controversy over the anti-Muslim posts “falls short of a sincere apology.”
Patch – GOP State Senator-Elect Faces Backlash Over Islamophobic Tweets, Patch — Nov. 5, 2021
“Anti-Muslim smears like the kind Mr. Durr posted on his Twitter account have been directly responsible for hate and violence against American Muslims,” Muslim Advocates Communications Director Eric Naing said.”
Progress? Next NJ Legislature may include two Muslims, and author of anti-Islam posts, The North Jersey Record — Nov. 10, 2021
It’s heartening to see Haider and Jaffer “running and claiming spaces in public life,” he said. On the other hand, Naing added, Durr’s old posts are a reminder “that anti-Muslim forces are still powerful.”
Edward Durr Jr., Republican truck driver and political novice, defeats longtime New Jersey state Senate President Steve Sweeney, Washington Post — Nov. 5, 2021
The civil rights group Muslim Advocates said Durr’s statement “falls short of a sincere apology” and urged him to disavow his tweets or “give up the office” to which he was elected this week.
* * *